Fake goods

Sales of fake products are rampant in the market, and authorities say they are facing various difficulties trying to curb the problem, blaming consumer demand. Fake helmets displayed on the street The Department of Industry and Trade in Hau Giang Province reported finding fake products in almost every sector, from cheap items in street shops to high values commodities in supermarkets. There is major concern that many fakes may pose a high risk to consumer health and safety, apart from damaging the reputation of legitimate brand names. Hau Giang Province authorities said the most difficult part of the problem was not how to distinguish between genuine and fake products, but the complicated procedures involved in policing them. In order to deal with shops that sell fake products, officials had first to take samples and acquire verification that the items are fake, but by the time the paperwork has been done, the fake items in question have been sent elsewhere. … [Read more...] about Fake goods pose troubles for authorities

NDO - A plan to use electronic labels, known as Vtrue, on consumer products containing information about their origins has been launched in an effort to combat smuggling and counterfeited goods. The initiative is a collaborative effort of the Vietnamese Government Portal (VGP), the Market Surveillance Agency, the National Institute for Food Control and Vnet - the company that provides the electronic labels. VGP Deputy Director Vi Quang Dao said the system will enhance the capacity and coordination between government agencies and enterprises in the fight against trade fraud and fake goods by establishing a communication channel between relevant parties. Vnet Director Duong Anh Duc said consumers can obtain information about products and their producers by looking up the 10-digit codes on Vtrue labels in the government portal, sending them to a message centre or dialling a call centre directly. An authentication code is unique to a product, said Duc, adding that a warning will be sent to … [Read more...] about Electronic labels introduced to counter fake goods

European customs intercepted one billion euros worth of counterfeit goods last year, with 85 percent of the fakes originating from China, the European Commission said Thursday. Chinese custom officers destroy a large quantity of seized fake goods, which include fake Nokia phone covers, in Guangzhou in 2004 The figures highlighted the rise of Chinese counterfeit goods, which had accounted for 64 percent of the fake articles seized in the 27-nation European Union in 2009.China is by far the biggest exporter of such goods in a list that includes India, the source of counterfeit drugs, and Hong Kong, which supplies counterfeit memory cards, as well as Turkey and Thailand.A total of 103 million counterfeit goods were seized at EU borders last year, down from 117 million in 2009 and 178 million in 2008.But the amount of fakes shipped by post rose dramatically, with seizures almost doubling to 80,000 last year from … [Read more...] about China accounts for 85% of fake goods seized in EU

Fake products have become an increasing problem in the Vietnamese market, affecting customers’ health and causing losses for the national economy, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa. Thoa made the comment at a conference to mark “Vietnam Anti-counterfeit Goods Day”, on November 29 in HCM City. November 29 selected as Vietnam Anti-counterfeit Goods Day At the event, the chairman of the Vietnam Association for Anti-counterfeiting and Trademark Protection (VATAP) Le The Bao, said, “Violations of intellectual property and industrial design regulations have become more sophisticated. Fake goods are both manufactured domestically and smuggled into the country, including those that affect public health such as contraceptives. Many manufacturers have complained that they have seen false versions of their products within one month of launching their own." Counterfeit products have been widely sold, both rural markets and urban … [Read more...] about Fake goods pose economic and health risks

Rampant counterfeit and fake goods at local markets harm consumers and damage brand names. Fake items difficult to distinguish According to recent surveys by the Vietnamese High Quality Goods Enterprise Association, more than 60% of products purchased in local markets are counterfeit. According to Mrs. Tam, owner of a cosmetic shop at Hoa Hung market, in HCM City, she has received a large number of sales pitches from dealers in such products. “Fake products are very hard to discern from the real thing. The producers put a lot of care into the packaging so that they look similar, but the prices are only one third of the real thing. Many vendors are tempted to take the offers, but there are repercussions. Customers, once they find out they have bought a fake product, will tell their friends to stay away from your shop." Another shop owner at Hoang Hoa Tham Market in HCM City, Mrs. Minh, also admitted that fake products are almost indiscernible to real ones. … [Read more...] about Fake goods permeate Vietnamese market

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung vowed to take serious measures to fight against the trade and production of fake goods at a conference to review the industry and commercial sector. The PM at the conference on January 11 At the conference on January 11, the PM requested that this year the first and foremost task of the Ministry of Industry and Trade is to assist enterprises to overcome the difficult times. Via industry associations, the ministry could help enterprises reduce the inventory and expand their businesses. He also praised the programmes that connect enterprises with banks because, he said, banks ultimately depend on enterprise. He added that the country needed to boost demand using such tools as credit and public investment. Though the government set the credit growth rate goal of 12%, there are still many things must be done in order to boost rate. The PM also said … [Read more...] about Government clamps down on fake goods

Companies play an important role in the fight against counterfeit goods, Le The Bao, chairman of the Viet Nam Association for Anti-Counterfeiting and Trademark Protection, told Tin tuc (News).Can you tell us about the counterfeit goods trade in Viet Nam?All kinds of counterfeit goods are available across Viet Nam. The most popular are cosmetics, watches, pesticides and alcohol.According to reports from the World Customs Organisation, one out of every 10 items available in the market is fake. The US loses about $250 billion on fake goods every year, and Germany loses $25 billion.Trade fraud is rampant in Viet Nam, and it has seriously affected consumers, producers and the national economy as a whole.Why are fake goods so popular here?One of the reasons leading to the wide spread of fake goods in Viet Nam is the big price gap between genuine and fake goods. Meanwhile, some sellers mix fake goods with genuine ones to make earn extra profits. Selling fake goods can earn people two or three … [Read more...] about Enterprises should join efforts to crack down on fake goods

Addressing a recent meeting on the Day against Counterfeit Goods in Hanoi, the Deputy PM also urged customs and border guard forces to intensify efforts to prevent the import of such goods through both official and unofficial channels. Businesses should co-operate with relevant agencies in market management, improve their own distribution networks and get ready to provide information to law enforcement forces in order to assist with the detection and punishment of violations, he said.He requested the Vietnam Association for Anti-counterfeiting and Trademark Protection (VATAP) to contribute feedback and recommendations to the process of building regulations in the field. However, smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods are still rampant, causing great concern in society.Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Quoc Khanh, also hailed the achievements of authorities and businesses in preventing and controlling trading of counterfeit and poor quality goods as well as … [Read more...] about Officials bolster fake goods fight

Hoang Van Truc, deputy head of the police agency, said these issues must be tackled by strengthening the effectiveness of IPR enforcement and the role of the press in the central city.He said the four enforcement agencies each have their own investigation team, but their efforts are unco-ordinated and they handle IPR cases differently.Truc, head of secretariat of the National Steering Committee on the Prevention and Control of Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Fake Commodities (or Steering Committee 389), emphasised that most goods in Viet Nam can be easily faked.He said the increasing production and sale of counterfeit goods partly resulted from the habit of selling knock-off versions of famous brands for cheap prices, as well as poor awareness of fake goods."It's really alarming. Goods can be produced with fake brands and models, but the poor quality causes a heavy loss to producers and users," Truc said."We found 665 cases of IPR violations (fake production and sale) in 2014, of which 120 … [Read more...] about Agencies struggle to fight fake goods

HCM CITY (Biz Hub)— The production and distribution of fake goods is becoming increasingly dire, affecting people's health and the country's economy, a conference heard in HCM City last week.Delegates told the conference on fighting knockoffs and fake goods to protect businesses and consumers that such products are widely available everywhere – from rural areas to markets and even supermarkets in big cities.According to the Market Watch Department, more than 13,100 cases of counterfeit goods and other infringements of intellectual property rights were uncovered last year.Market watch teams found 3,115 cases in the first quarter of the year, and collected fines of VND13.5 billion (US$636,790).Fake goods are both manufactured domestically and smuggled into the country, mainly foodstuffs, garments, household appliances, and consumer goods, delegates said.In HCM City, the department inspected a warehouse belonging to an import-export company containing over 50,000 items and … [Read more...] about Concern mounts as fake goods flood struggling market